GEORGE TOWN: The CEO of Penang’s water company today called for all rivers to be free from structures for at least 30m on both sides to prevent pollution similar to the case in Selangor last week.
Jaseni Maidinsa of Penang Water Supply Corporation (PBA) said the crux of the problem with polluters was that a 15m buffer for all rivers in Malaysia was not strictly enforced by the local authorities.
About 1.2 million households in the Klang Valley were hit by water cuts stretching over four days after four water treatment plants were shut down following pollution of Sungai Gong.
Jaseni said more laws and stiffer penalties would not completely solve the problem when local governments continue to allow construction of buildings on riverbanks, despite knowing that a buffer requirement existed.
Another issue, he said, lies in the lack of “respect” for rivers.
“Malaysians, in general, have no respect for rivers. In some countries, homes are built fronting the river, fetching high property prices. Over here, we have toilets facing the river. There is absolutely no respect.
“In the case of Selangor, it is said that a factory had been issued notices by the Selayang council since 2014, so why was no action taken since then?
“So, the question is not about more laws or penalties, rather it is the lack of enforcement. Illegal factories encroaching into the river reserves ought to be demolished,” he said on the sidelines of PBA Holdings Bhd’s annual general meeting.
Jaseni said that in Penang, PBA guarded its key river, with a team of 10 auxiliary policemen patrolling the 14km canal from Sungai Muda to Butterworth 24 hours a day. This has been going on since 2008.
“The government should treat rivers as national strategic assets so they can be better taken care of,” he said.
Channelling water from Perak to Penang
Separately, Jaseni sounded the alarm over the water supply demands of Penang and Kedah, which could be sustained until 2025.
However, because of climate change and irregular rainfall, the water level at Sungai Muda, the main riverine that supplies water to both states, is expected to drop in the next five years.
The only solution is to tap into the abundant raw water from Perak, which is more than enough to serve the population of the state.
A proposal to build a 14.8km aqueduct from a river in Perak to the south of Seberang Perai, approved by Putrajaya in 2012, never took off, Jaseni said, adding that it would take seven years to build one.
3 contingency measures for uninterrupted water supply
Jaseni said it has been proposed to the Penang government that three contingency measures be taken to ensure uninterrupted water supply after 2025.
The first is to build a new water treatment plant next to the present one in Sungai Dua, Butterworth, which would yield 114 million litres a day (MLD).
The second is to tap water from Sungai Perai, one of the major rivers on the mainland. Although previous studies have shown that water from the river is unsafe to be treated, it may be possible given newer technology in water treatment.
The third measure is to tap into seawater, through a desalination plant on the south of Penang Island, with the plant expected to begin operations by December 2024.
